In the past, tailgates for pickup trucks included a relatively flat outer wall. Accordingly, rear doors of truck caps and camper shells were designed with lower ends that folded downward so that the lower end of the rear door simply overlapped the upper end of the tailgate. This overlapping arrangement protected against the intrusion of moisture and dirt between the rear door of the truck cap and the upper end of the tailgate. Further, a suitable seal was provided by a rubber strip or other suitable soft material being disposed at the interior of the lower end of the rear door of the truck cap, or the lower portion of the rear door that engages the upper end of the tailgate.
However, the design of tailgates is currently undergoing a substantial change. Specifically, truck manufacturers have begun to incorporate a protective rib disposed along the upper end of the outer wall of the tailgate. The purpose of the protective rib is to prevent scratches and dents from occurring on the main portion of the outer wall of the tailgate in the event the tailgate engages an object as it is pivoted downward to the open position. The protective rib also protects against damage occurring at the upper end of the tailgate, which is a common location of rust and corrosion.
The incorporation of a protective rib along the upper end of the tailgate has presented problems for the manufacturers of truck caps and camper shells. Specifically, currently-available rear doors for truck caps and camper shells are not designed to provide a seal for a tailgate equipped with a protective rib disposed at the upper end of the tailgate. However, it is important that the lower end of the rear door of the truck cap provide at least a minimal seal between the door and the tailgate so as to prevent the unwanted intrusion of water and dirt inside of the truck cap or camper shell. Further, if the rear door of the cap shell is provided with a downwardly extending rubber gasket, the interference between the rubber gasket and the protective rib will often prohibit the rear door from closing fully, thereby preventing the rear door from being locked as well as preventing the rear door from providing a sealing closure for the interior of the truck cap or camper shell.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved truck cap with a rear door designed specifically for newer tailgates equipped with protective ribs disposed at the upper ends thereof. Still further, there is a need for a retrofit kit or modifying kit for existing truck caps which would enable the existing truck caps to be retrofitted so that they can accommodate trucks having newer tailgate designs or tailgate designs that incorporate a protective rib.